Embodiments of the present invention provide a system and method for communication between a controller and a power supply using a communication interface, and, more particularly, to a method of assuring proper operation of a medical imaging device using a communication interface to allow control and feedback of the power supply using an intelligent controller and a minimum number of lines.
Various power supplies, such as a detector power supply used in X-Ray or other medical imaging devices, are not simply powered on and kept on. Detector power supplies used in medical imaging devices, or other device specific power supplies, Power Distribution Units (PDU) and Uninterrupted Power Supplies (UPS), require discrete control as well as feedback to indicate the status of the power supply. For example, diagnostics, such as On/Off, standby, error status levels, voltage levels, current levels, power consumption, and the like, may need to be monitored by a controller to ensure safe operating conditions.
Currently, dedicated Input/Output (I/O) lines are used to communicate between a controller and a power supply. Using dedicated I/O lines has many drawbacks, however. For example, using dedicated I/O lines requires a separate line for each diagnostic. Requiring a separate line for each diagnostic being monitored may limit the number of diagnostics that may be monitored or it may require an abundance of lines to accomplish a desired result. A large amount of I/O lines may be expensive and time consuming to install and configure. Further, a dedicated I/O line may not be easily used for purposes other than that for which the dedicated I/O line was originally intended because of the difficulty in reconfiguring or installing and configuring new dedicated I/O lines. Therefore, for example, it may be difficult for a technician or operator to change the diagnostics to be monitored.
Communication interfaces, such as Universal Serial Bus (USB), CANopen, Ethernet, firewire, and RS232, for example, are capable of using minimal lines, with each line capable of sending and/or receiving a variety of information. For example, multiple diagnostics may be monitored using one line of a communication interface. Further, communication interfaces are easily reconfigured, so if a user or technician needed to alter the diagnostics monitored, reconfiguration is fast, easy, and inexpensive. Thus, a need exists for an efficient, robust, cost effective system and method for communication between a controller and power supply using a standard communication interface.